Flood Rips Through Fire-Scarred New Mexico Town

A mountain village in southern New Mexico, known for its serene summer escapes, was rocked by sudden flash floods Tuesday after intense monsoon rains turned the Rio Ruidoso into a raging torrent.

Local Media say at least three people are missing and three others were hospitalized as rescue teams scrambled to respond.

Emergency officials reported that entire structures, including a house, were swept away by the surging water.

According to Danielle Silva of the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, at least 85 swift-water rescues were carried out across Ruidoso, saving people trapped in homes and vehicles.

While no fatalities were confirmed as of Tuesday night, the situation remained critical.

Search and rescue teams, supported by National Guard units and local crews, scoured neighborhoods for those unaccounted for, while public works staff began clearing roads littered with mud and debris.

Stranded vehicles dotted the streets, a stark reminder of the chaos earlier in the day.

The village’s vulnerability was amplified by recent wildfires that stripped the surrounding forests of vegetation, leaving hillsides exposed and unable to absorb the heavy rains.

The sudden deluge caused the Rio Ruidoso to swell nearly 19 feet in minutes, prompting urgent warnings for residents to seek higher ground.

The National Weather Service issued flood alerts as video footage and river gauges showed muddy, debris-filled water spilling over the banks into forested areas.

Roads and bridges were closed, and the town’s infrastructure strained under the weight of the storm’s aftermath.

Kaitlyn Carpenter, a local artist, was on her motorcycle when the skies opened.

She took refuge with about 50 others at Downshift Brewing Company, a riverside establishment.

As she filmed the river’s terrifying rise, she caught sight of a familiar turquoise door, a home floating by.

It belonged to the family of one of her close friends.

“I’ve spent time in that house.

“I have memories there,” Carpenter said.

“Seeing it drift down the river was absolutely heartbreaking.

“I still can’t believe it.”

Fortunately, the family wasn’t inside and is safe.

Ruidoso Mayor Lynn D. Crawford, in a radio address Tuesday evening, urged residents to report missing friends or neighbors via the town’s emergency line.

He acknowledged the town had braced for flooding, but not on this scale.

“We knew it was coming, but this hit harder than expected,” he said.

Reports also surfaced of dead horses near the local racetrack, underscoring the storm’s broader impact.

This isn’t the first time Ruidoso has faced such devastation.

The community has been on edge since the South Fork and Salt fires tore through the region in the summer of 2024, destroying an estimated 1,400 structures.

Residents who once fled flames now face repeated flooding—a cruel cycle of destruction.

“This year’s floodwaters appear even higher than last summer’s,” Silva said.

“The water is moving through areas that didn’t flood before. It’s a serious shift in the landscape.”

Matt DeMaria, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Albuquerque, explained that Tuesday’s storm developed quickly over areas scorched by wildfire, leaving the parched soil unable to soak up the rain.

The resulting runoff poured into the Rio Ruidoso with alarming speed.

Preliminary data suggests the river crested at more than 20 feet, a potential record.

By nightfall, water levels had begun to drop, but the damage was done.

Three emergency shelters were opened in the Ruidoso area for displaced residents.

Cory State, who works at the Downshift Brewing Company, recalled watching residents take shelter as hail battered the windows and the river surged outside.

The house drifting by was just one sign of the day’s destruction.

“It was one of the many heartbreaking images we saw,” he said.

For Carpenter, the experience brought back traumatic memories.

Her art studio was swept away in last year’s floods.

On Tuesday, the air outside smelled of gasoline, and the crashing of trees echoed through town.

“It’s terrifying,” she said.

“We’ve lived through fire.

“Now we’re drowning in the aftermath.”

For Diaspora Digital Media Updates click on Whatsapp, or Telegram. For eyewitness accounts/ reports/ articles, write to: citizenreports@diasporadigitalmedia.com. Follow us on X (Fomerly Twitter) or Facebook